This invention relates to a new use for terguride.
Terguride [3-(6-methylergolin-8.alpha.-yl)-1,1-diethyl urea] itself is known, as are its nidation- and lactation-inhibiting as well as antipsychotic effects upon oral administration to animals and to human patients. These effects are based on its partially agonistic action on dopamine receptors (German Pat. No. 2,238,540, DOS No. 3,129,714).
Suitable physiologically compatible salts of terguride include those with inorganic and organic acids. Usable for salt formation are, for example, hydrochloric acid, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, methanesulfonic acid, glucoheptanoic acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid, maleic acid, etc. A preferred salt is terguride dihydrogen phosphate.
It is known that dopamine agonists lead to lowering of the blood pressure, on the one hand, via direct dilation of the blood vessels and, on the other hand, via reduced release of noradrenalin from sympathetic nerve endings (Cavero, I. et al., Life Science 31: 939-948 and 1059-1069 [1982]). For this reason, dopamine agonists, such as various ergot alkaloids, e.g. bromocriptine or lisuride, have been utilized in human medicine for hypertension therapy (Stumpe, K. O., Kolloch, R., Higuchi, M. K., Kruck, F., Vetter, H.: Hperprolactinemia and Antihypertensive Effect of Bromocryptine in Essential Hypertension", Lancet 2 : 211, 1977).
These compounds, however, have the drawback that the undesirable side effect of vomiting is to be expected because of simultaneous stimulation of the dopamine receptors in the area postrema.